| Unit name | Animal Welfare (Distance Learning) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | VETSM0034 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Mr. Wotton |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Core Skills 1, Biochemistry and Meat Quality. |
| Co-requisites |
Other 20 credit units required for PgD (6 units) and MSc (6 units plus Core Skills 2 plus Research Project) |
| School/department | Bristol Veterinary School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
Large numbers of cattle, pigs, sheep and poultry are reared and killed for meat. This unit describes the major factors influencing on-farm animal welfare, and animal welfare at stunning and slaughter, and the consequences for carcase and meat quality. The legislative framework is also described. The unit deals primarily with cattle, sheep and pigs but also includes some welfare issues associated with intensive poultry production.
Students will be able to demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of:
Students will also be able to:
A blended learning approach has been adopted, combining online delivery of course material with periodic face to face contact. The distance learning material is hosted on a web-based platform (Blackboard) that supports written, audio and video material. Students have password-protected access to Blackboard and other electronic resources at the University of Bristol via the internet. Students can work online or download the core materials to study in their own time thus providing a highly flexible learning environment for students who combine full-time work with part-time study. Coursework is submitted electronically via Blackboard which also hosts discussion groups. Course tutors are on hand via email and telephone to support students and deal with any queries. Interaction with staff and networking with other students is encouraged with the aim of developing a community of active learners.
The online taught material is divided into 6 lecture sets which develop the subject in a logical order and includes a ‘discussion board’ at the end of each set of lectures. Usually there are 5 lectures in each lecture set. Each lecture has a set of powerpoint slides, written notes (with references for further reading), and an audio presentation. The latter are usually no longer than 20 minutes or, if longer, broken up with multiple choice questions (MCQs). There are further MCQs at the end of each lecture set that must be completed before students are able to progress to the next lecture set.
All students also have access to University of Bristol online journals, the e-book collection and electronic search engines eg Web of Science.
Attendance at Bristol is required for the examination.
Knowledge, understanding and other higher level skills are assessed by a combination of coursework (50% of available marks) and a 3 hour written examination (50% of available marks).
Coursework consists of a fully referenced essay (~2500 words), and a video assessment exercise (~1500 words) which account for 70 and 30%, respectively, of the marks allocated for coursework.
Students can select an essay from a list of titles, allowing individuals to develop an area of particular interest. Students must review the available literature on the topic using appropriate electronic resources, present a summary of the main findings in 2500 words (excluding tables, references and figures), and demonstrate a critical awareness of current issues. The essays are submitted electronically through Blackboard and checked for plagiarism.
Students must also submit a video assessment report that summarises the welfare issues in 3 video clips and includes a code of practice to deal with each of the specified scenarios.
The 3 hour unseen examination paper has a mandatory 5-part question designed to test breadth of knowledge, and a choice of essay-style questions (3 from 6) designed to test depth of knowledge and understanding of the subject area, including past and current research.
There is a strong reliance on original research papers from various journals (eg animal, meat science) that can be accessed through the library or using the University’s electronic resources. The following books are also helpful.
